'Click it or ticket' seat belt campaign starts today
Police across the state are kicking off a seat belt enforcement campaign Friday.
The fall "Click it or Ticket" campaign is the first since the state's new primary seat belt law went into effect in June. The law allows police to pull over drivers if anyone in the vehicle is unbelted.
State officials say an annual two-week road-side observation found seat belt use was up 3 percent, to a record 90 percent, after the law took effect. But state patrol spokesperson Lt. Matt Langer says police hope to raise that number even further.
He says police will be working overtime and using roadside spotters to help crack down on unbelted drivers and passengers this month. A violation means a $25 state fine, and local administrative fees typically drive the cost over $100.
"We're not interested in writing boatloads of tickets," Langer said. "We're interested in getting people to wear their seat belts."
The enforcement campaign runs through October 22.
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